Using a mobile recorder for vocals

[lioun]

Hello,

I wish to start recording vocals as well as acoustic guitar and piano. The goal is producing decent tracks, I don't mind if you can hear that I'm not a professional, but I don't want to sound like it was recorded with a cell phone either. I used to produce techno and all my sounds were digitally synthesized, so I have some knowledge about mixing, but I know nothing about recording at all. I own monitor speakers and a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface (to which I could connect XLR microphones). I want to produce alternative, electronics-influenced pop music and I'm thinking about buying a mobile recorder, like an Olympus LS-5, the advantages being that I could record anywhere, including maybe non-portable instruments that I don't own, record sound samples and so on.

My question is: Will using a mobile device significantly limit the quality of my (especially vocal) recordings compared to a, say, condenser microphone? Could the mobile device improve recording quality considering that I could record my voice in a wardrobe or wherever, instead of the room I have the computer which is not equipped for recording at all?

I am not a native speaker, I hope that everything is easily understood. Thanks a lot!

 

[Armistice]

Trust me, your wardrobe isn't equipped for recording either...

Problem with that style of recorder for doing serious recording is how you hear what you're recording and how you get it into the correct position in the first place. If there's a jacket in the wardrobe (leather for choice) I guess you could stick it in the top pocket..

Laptop / AI / microphone on stand isn't as portable but it's not exactly a BBC OB unit in terms of size either.

It's a useful tool and there are times I wish I had one, but I can't quite be bothered getting one. Without knowing exactly your set up and what you're trying to do it's hard to be definitive....

 

[swarfrat]

Mobile recorders are not inherently limited to built in mics. I've drug my Zoom R24 downstairs and out on the back porch to record acoustic guitar early in the morning.

I'm not one to pick on your English (and this might be an English vs American usage) but as a point of clarification - at least in the US, a "wardrobe" is a piece of furniture, while a "closet" is a small room. I suspect you meant "closet". But even most closets are still a bit small for a vocal booth.